Afghan, Pakistani migrants lead cricket charge in Sweden

Geo.tv – Sweden´s national squad, coached since May by former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Wasim, will this summer play for the second time in the qualifiers for the ICC World T20

Wooden bats and red balls are taking over Sweden´s fields: cricket is booming in the Scandinavian country thanks to Afghan and Pakistani migrants who´ve found a way to reconnect with their roots.

Summary

Sweden´s national squad, coached since May by former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Wasim, will this summer play for the second time in the qualifiers for the ICC World T20Wooden bats and red balls are taking over Sweden´s fields: cricket is booming in the Scandinavian country thanks to Afghan and Pakistani migrants who´ve found a way to reconnect with their roots.

“Three or four years ago, we had only 13 clubs in Sweden and the number of players was around 600 or 700,” said Tariq Zuwak, chairman of the Swedish Cricket Federation.

The MCC team is in Sweden to instruct players on the official rules of the game, played by millions of people, predominantly in Britain´s former colonies in Asia.

As Sweden grappled with the massive influx, the cricket federation also found itself having to adapt, creating new teams across the country.

Meanwhile, Sweden´s national squad, coached since May by former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Wasim, will this summer play for the second time in the qualifiers for the ICC World T20 — a shorter and more spectacular version of traditional cricket — with the hopes of playing against the world´s best teams in Australia in 2020.